Production and Characterization of Desmalonichrome Relative Binding Affinity for Uranyl Ions in Relation to Other Siderophores.

Siderophores are iron (Fe)-binding secondary metabolites that have been investigated for their uranium-binding properties. Previous work has focused on characterizing hydroxamate types of siderophores, such as desferrioxamine B, for their uranyl (UO2)-binding affinity. Carboxylate forms of these metabolites hold potential to be more efficient chelators of UO2, yet they have not been widely studied. Desmalonichrome is a carboxylate siderophore that is not commercially available and so was obtained from the fungus Fusarium oxysporum cultivated under Fe-depleted conditions. The relative affinity for UO2 binding of desmalonichrome was investigated using a competitive analysis of binding affinities between UO2 acetate and different concentrations of Fe(III) chloride using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. In addition to desmalonichrome, three other siderophores, including two hydroxamates (desferrioxamine B and desferrichrome) and one carboxylate (desferrichrome A), were studied to understand their re...